Navy’s Poseidon 8i Aircraft Joins Search For 10 Indian Crew Members,

The Indian Navy’s Poseidon 8I long-range reconnaissance aircraft has joined the search for the 10 Indian crew members, who went missing after their cargo ship sank in the Pacific off the Philippines last week.

Navy officials said the aircraft covered an area 24,000 square nautical miles around the last known position of the cargo ship Emerald Star but was yet to sight any survivors.

On Friday, the 33,205-tonne cargo ship sank off Okinawa.

Sixteen Indians have been already rescued, while a search was still on for 10 other missing Indians.
Indian missions in Japan, the Philippines and China were coordinating the search operation.

The Navy officials said crew of the P 8I aircraft sighted an inverted lifeboat and the information was sent to the Japanese Coast Guard (JCG) to investigate.

“JCG ship reported that it has already encountered/ searched the boat and didn’t find any survivors or bodies,” said a Navy official.

The Indian Navy had sent the maritime reconnaissance aircraft to the Philippines yesterday to join the search operation for the 10 Indians.